Starting device for gas-engines.



No. 143,637. PATENTED NOV. 10 1903.

1). F. GRAHAME; P. A; POX. Y

STARTING DEVICE FOR GAS mamas. mummies rum) MAR. '11, 1903. 10 MODEL.

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DAVID F. GRAHAM AND FRANK A. FOX, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO THE GRAHAM-FOX MOTOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

STARTING DEVlCE FOR GAS-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 743,637, dated November 10, 1903. Application filed March 11, 1903. Serial No. 147,227. No model) 2'0 all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that we, DAVID'F. GRAHAM and FRANK A. FOX, citizens of the United States, residing at Stamford, in the countycf Fairfield and State of- Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Devices for Gas-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to starting devices for explosive-motors, and it is especially designed for use in connection withthe motors of automobiles.

A serious objection to many. forms of starting mechanism for automobilesnotors here tofore used is that they are unreliable in their releasing action and frequently permit the starting-crank to reverse with a forcible revolution, thus endangering the person of the operator or other occupant of the vehicle.

A further objection to the construction of the starting devices just referred to is the employment of clntch-and-ratchet mechanism, which is not only expensive and more or less complicated, but indirectin action and easily disarranged or rendered ineifective by the exigencies of automobile travel;

The primary object of the present invention is to avoid the objections above noted by providing a starting device for motors which will be direct and positive in its action both in connecting with the engine-shaft and in releasing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a starting device comprising few parts or elements, and these of simple and durable construction to adapt them to efiectively meet the requirements of automobile service.

The invention comprises an internallythreaded sleeve loosely supported in a hearing of the frame or casing of the machine in parallel relation with a gear-wheel on the motorshaft, a threaded stem within said sleeve having a gear-pinion at its inner end adapted to mesh with the gear on the motor shaft, a crank-socket secured to the sleeve, andsnitable connections whereby a revolving movement of the sleeve serves to bring the two gears into mesh and revolve the engine-shaft, and the forward motion of the engine-shaft operates to throw the two gearwheels out of mesh, and thus release the starting-crank.

The construction of the invention will be more fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and its novel and characteristic features will be set 'forth and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the improved starting device with a portion of a framecasing and engine-shaft. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the threaded stem and its pinion, and Fig. 3 is a central longi- 'in its interior to form a shoulder 4. Within the bearing thus formed is loosely and revolubly supported a sleeve 5, formed at its in-' nor end with a collar 6 and interiorly recessed at its opposite end to form an annular shoulder 7. A coil-spring 8 surrounds the sleeve 5 adjacent to its inner end, said spring being interposed between the collar 6 of the sleeve and the shoulder 4c of the hearing.

The sleeve 5 is formed with internal screwthreads to receive the externally-threaded stem 9, carrying at its end a gear-pinion 10 and circumferentially reduced at its outer end to receive a stop-nut ll. outer end 12 of the sleeve is threaded for the attachment thereto of a socket 13, a space 14: being left between the outer end of the boss 2 and the adjacent end of the socket 13 to permit of a limited longitudinal movement of the sleeve 5.

-15 designates a crankthe arm 16 of which fits within the socket and is secured therein The projecting by a suitable key 17. The position of the engine-shaft 18 with relation to the starting device is shown in Fig. 1, and 19 designates a gear-wheel fixed on said shaft and adapted to mesh with the gear-pinion 10 of thethreaded stem.

The utility and operation of the mechanism constructed as thus described will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which thisinvention pertains and may be summarized as follows: Normally the stem 9 and its gear-pinion 10 are in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the pinion 10 being out of mesh with the motor gear-wheel. To start the motor, the crank 15 is drawn outward, carrying with it the socket 13 and sleeve 5, and as the nut 11 on the stem 9 is in contact with the shoulder 7 of the sleeve the stem 9 and its pinion 10 are also drawn outward, bringing the teeth of the pinion 10 against those of the gear-wheel19. At the same time the socket 13 is revolved to the right to revolve the sleeve 5, which motion draws the pinion 10 into mesh with the gearwheel 19 to revolve the motor-shaft, the outward movement of the pinion 10 being limited by its striking against the flange 3 of the casin g. As soon as the engine is started the forward movement of the shaft 18 and gearwheel 19 carries the pinion 10 inward in advance of the sleeve 5 through the intermediacy of the screw-threaded stem, the sleeve being projected under the tension of the spring 8 to bring the socket 13 against the boss 2 of the casing. out of gear of the pinion 10 and gear-wheel 19, as just described, will release the crank 15, socket 13, and sleeve 5 from connection with the motor-shaft, such releasing action being direct and positive through the screw action of the stem within the sleeve.

The construction above described provides areliable and effective starting device in which the employment of clutch mechanism and pawl-and-ratchet connections is avoided, and the releasing action is eifected by the positive motion of a screw.

We would have it understood that the in vention is. not restricted to the exact construction shown, but includes all such variations and modifications in the details as may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. A starting device for motors, comprising a pinion on the motor-shaft, an internallythreaded and longitudinally-movable sleeve journaled adjacent thereto, a threaded stem supported in the sleeve and carrying a gearpinion, and means for imparting a longitudinal and revolving movement to said sleeve It will be obvious that the throwing to connect said pinions and revolve the motorshaft.

2. A starting device for motors, comprising the combination with an internally-threaded sleeve, supported within a bearing in parallel relation with the motor-shaft and capable of longitudinal movement therein, of a threaded stem working within the sleeve, a gear-pinion on said stem adapted to mesh with a gearwheel on the motor-shaft, and a crank-socket secured to said sleeve.

8. Astarting device for motors, comprising the combination with an internally-threaded sleeve supported within a bearing in parallel relation with the motor-shaft and capable of longitudinal movement therein, of a gearwheel on said shaft, a threaded stem within said sleeve, a gear-pinion on said stem adapted to mesh with said gear-wheel, a cranksocket secured to the sleeve, and means for limiting the longitudinal movement of said sleeve.

4. A starting device for motors, comprising the combination with an internally-threaded sleeve supported within a bearing, in parallel relation with the motor-shaft and capable of longitudinal movement therein, a threaded stem within said sleeve, a gear-pinion on said stem adapted to mesh with said gear-wheel, a

spring for projecting said sleeve longitudinally.

5. A starting device for motors, comprising the combination with an internally-threaded sleeve supported within a bearing, in parallel relation with the motor-shaft and capable of longitudinal movement therein, of a gearwheel on said shaft, a threaded stem within said sleeve, a pinion on one end of said stem, a stop device at the opposite end of the stem, a socket secured to the sleeve, a crank secured within the socket, and means for projecting the sleeve longitudinally.

6. The combination with a casing formed with a bearing, of a starting device comprising an internally-threaded sleeve mounted in said bearing and capable of longitudinal movement therein, and internally recessed to form an annular shoulder, a threaded stem within the sleeve, a gear-pinion at one end of said stem adapted to mesh witha gear on the motor-shaft, a stop device at the opposite end of said stem adapted to bear against the shoulder of the sleeve,a socket secured to the sleeve and adapted to contact with the end of said bearing, and a crank-handle secured within the socket.

7. The combination with a casing provided with a bearing having an internal annular shoulder, of a starting device comprising an internally-threaded sleeve having an external shoulder at its inner end, and an internal annular shoulder, a threaded stein within the In testimony whereof we have signed our IO sleeve, a gear-pinion on one end of said sleeve names in the presence of the subscribing witadapted to mesh with a gear-wheel on the momesses. tor-shaft, and a, stop device at the opposite 5 end of said stem to contact with the inner n i ggg shoulder of the sleeve, a spring interposed be- I I tween the outer shoulder 01": the sleeve, and Witnesses: the shoulder of the bearing, and'ineans for 1 F. O. MCCLEARY, moving said sleeve and stem longitudinally. 1 J. CLARK PYBAS. 

